


Up the Creek (Without a Paddle)

by Tea_For_One_Please



Category: Andi Mack (TV)
Genre: Aged-Up Character(s), Angst with a Happy Ending, Boys Being Boys, Dumbass trio, Established Relationship, F/M, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Fluff and Humor, Gen, High School, Hijinks & Shenanigans, Humor, I Wrote This Instead of Sleeping, M/M, Mild Angst, Summer Vacation, i love the dumbass trio with my entire heart, no beta we die like men
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-08
Updated: 2019-12-08
Packaged: 2021-02-25 21:41:35
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,194
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21712384
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Tea_For_One_Please/pseuds/Tea_For_One_Please
Summary: TJ, Jonah and Marty are bored of summer vacation, and need an outlet. It's very possible that the one they choose may not be the most sensible idea, but when Cyrus isn't around to supervise, there's nobody to stop them..!
Relationships: Buffy Driscoll/Marty, Cyrus Goodman/T. J. Kippen, Jonah Beck & T. J. Kippen & Marty, Jonah Beck/Libby
Comments: 6
Kudos: 55





	Up the Creek (Without a Paddle)

“This is ridiculous,” Jonah grumbles, flopping back on the couch and tossing his controller aside. “It’s the middle of summer vacation and what are we doing? Sitting inside playing Mario Kart.”

“Don’t hate on Mario Kart,” Marty says defensively.

“Yeah, it’s not the game’s fault you suck,” TJ adds, not looking up from his phone. Jonah shoots him a look.

“What are you doing on there?”

“Look, he’s doing the face,” Marty interjects. “He’s clearly texting Cyrus.” TJ rolls his eyes.

“Dude,” Jonah says. “Are we, like, not enough for you?” Marty places a hand on his heart in feigned offence.

“Oh, lay off,” TJ says. “Like either of you wouldn’t respond to a message from your girlfriend.”

“He has a point,” says Marty.

“Screw this,” Jonah says firmly, pointing the remote at the TV and shutting it off. “Let’s go do something fun.”

“I love you, dude, and I’m digging this energy, but I think we’ve basically exhausted all our ideas,” Marty says, taking a sip of his soda.

“We haven’t gone up the creek yet,” Jonah points out, and Marty’s face pales slightly.

“We said we’d never be that desperate.”

“I’m pretty sure I promised Cyrus we’d never follow through with that idea,” says TJ timidly.

“Well, we can’t stay here all day,” Jonah says, kicking Marty’s beanbag gently. “It’s this or another scavenger hunt.”

“No way,” Marty says, alarmed. “My mom said if we get arrested for stealing traffic cones again, I’m grounded until college.”

“Well, then?”

“Screw it, I’m in,” he sighs. “Kippen?” TJ looks hesitantly at his phone. “Look, if you’re so worried about Cyrus, just don’t tell him until after it’s happened.”

“Oh, that’s how you and Buffy work stuff out, is it?”

“Pretty much,” Marty shrugs. “Although I’m in no doubt she’d want in on this plan.”

“Yeah, I believe that,” TJ says. “Okay, fine, I’ll come. I’ll go get some ropes and the sleds.”

“Good,” says Jonah. “Because we need someone to drive us.”

Half an hour later, TJ’s pulling up to the fork in the river where St Stephen’s Bridge meets Lexheath Creek. Here there’s a small waterfall, above which sits an old watermill and some impressive white-water rapids. TJ puts the car into park and Marty and Jonah scramble out of the back (they couldn’t agree on who would ride shotgun, so TJ made them both sit behind).

“You sure this is a good idea?” he asks doubtfully, looking up at the sharp rocks of the cliff face. It’s only about ten feet high, but it looks like a lot more, now that they’re there.

“It’s obviously the best idea we’ve ever had,” Marty says gleefully. “Who’s going up first?”

“Wait,” says Jonah. “Let’s be sensible about this.” TJ’s about to be relieved when he reaches into the trunk of the car and pulls out three cycle helmets. “For protection.”

“Huh,” says TJ, examining his and strapping it on. “I can actually get behind this.”

“I can tie knots,” Marty chips in, “so I’ll stay on the ground to start with. You two go up.”

“Aight,” says Jonah, shooting finger guns and practically bounding up to the cliff face. He’s about to start climbing when TJ calls him.

“Wait, you’ve forgotten your rope!” As TJ hands it to him, Jonah ties it securely around his waist and lifts his foot up to the first rock, then lifts his other foot up, and starts his ascent up the rocks.

“He’s quite good at this,” Marty remarks quietly. “Maybe he could do this as his ‘real sport’ instead of frisbee.” TJ snorts, but fortunately Jonah doesn’t hear them over the rushing water. After a couple of minutes, Jonah pulls himself up over the edge onto solid ground, and TJ and Marty let out a rousing cheer. Jonah grins and gives them a thumbs-up, before starting to tug at his rope, hauling his sled up behind him. “My turn,” says TJ determinedly, but as he approaches the rock face, his phone vibrates in his pocket. He pulls it out and sees a message from Cyrus.

**_muffin:_** _Where are you? I thought you were hanging at Marty’s today, but we popped over and it doesn’t look like you’re here..?_

**_Me:_ ** _we got bored so we’ve gone out_

**_muffin:_ ** _Oh fun! What are you up to?_ _😊_

TJ hesitates – he hates lying to Cyrus, but he’s pretty sure that telling him what they’re doing will give him some sort of stress-induced migraine, or something.

“What’s the hold-up?” Marty calls.

“One minute!” TJ yells back, settling on a half-truth, hoping that Cyrus won’t see through it.

**_Me:_ ** _we’re hanging out up at lexheath creek_

**_muffin:_ ** _You’re WHAT?!_

**_muffin:_ ** _TJ, we said that was too dangerous!_

TJ winces. That didn’t take long. He taps out a quick response, typing accuracy be damned.

**_Me:_ ** _muffin, its okay, wer’e being safe, i promise :)_

He waits thirty seconds or so for an answer, but there’s no reply, so TJ leaves his phone with Jonah and Marty’s as he starts to climb the rock face. Either Cyrus is furious and giving him the silent treatment, which would be unusual, or he’s on his way over here. TJ cannot view either prospect with much enthusiasm, but decides that it’s a problem for Later-TJ, and that Now-TJ is just going to have fun with his friends. Jonah claps him on the back as he starts to haul up the sled, then they lean over the edge and watch Marty clamber up. They help him up, then TJ and Jonah haul up his sled while Marty gets his breath back.

“Bit out of practice, are we?” Jonah teases, and Marty shoves him playfully.

“Come on, then,” TJ says briskly. “Who’s up first?”

“Me,” says Jonah immediately. He pulls his sled a little way up the creek. “Come hold it, will you?” TJ scrambles to his feet and holds the sled in place while Jonah steps unsteadily into the sled, clutching the rope tightly so he can steer it, at least a little.

“Ready?” Jonah nods and TJ lets go; the rapid water catches the sled and starts pushing Jonah downstream. TJ runs alongside until he reaches Marty, and they both lean over the edge to watch Jonah go careering over the little waterfall. He lets out an exhilarated whoop as he plummets down towards the creek below, pulling at the rope to keep himself travelling straight. Surprisingly, the makeshift boat lands the right way up; he drifts about ten feet before capsizing and tipping into the water. He crawls out onto the grass and punches the air. TJ and Marty can just about hear him over the waterfall.

“THAT! WAS! AWESOME!”

“My turn,” says Marty excitedly.

“You want some help?”

“Nah, I got this.” He picks up the sled and runs to the same place Jonah launched from, dropping the sled into the water and quickly climbing in. “Tally-ho!” he shouts in a bad English accent as the current pushes him forward, gathering speed until he, too, flies over the edge. He lets out a high-pitched scream of semi-serious fear as he drops towards the water. Unlike Jonah, he tips over the second he hits the water, but he emerges from the water laughing, dragging his sunken ship onto the grass next to Jonah. TJ, now, walks a little way up the stream and launches his sled.

“Here goes nothing,” he says, hands shaking a little with a cocktail of adrenaline, excitement and fear as his pushes himself off. He gathers speed at an alarming rate, and braces himself for the drop.

Suddenly he hears a _bump_ as his sled hits a rock, dislodged from the riverbed by Jonah and Marty’s sleds disturbing the water. His sled veers off course as he’s launched over the waterfall. His sled has slowed from hitting the rock, but momentum keeps him going. He loses his grip on the sled and feels it slide out from underneath him as he starts to fall. He only just remembers to close his eyes, half a second before he hits the water. The impact of the water stings his face, and he feels his hand hit the shallow riverbed. Searing pain shoots up his arm, and he rolls over into the shallows, making no attempt to get out of the water. He hears someone calling his name. “TJ!” The voice is distorted by the water rushing past his ears, but all the same, he doesn’t think it sounds like Marty or Jonah. “TJ, oh my god, are you alright?” He opens his eyes to see Cyrus and Andi looking down at him; Cyrus is breathing hard, like he’s been running.

“No,” he mutters, as they help him to sit up. “Ow, ow, ow, not the arm!”

“What the hell were you thinking?” Andi asks crossly. “That was so stupid!”

“Leave it, Andi,” Cyrus says softly. “We can talk about it later.”

“Marty and Jonah were fine,” he mumbles defensively, cradling his injured arm as Cyrus pulls him gently to his feet.

“Let’s not talk about it now,” Cyrus repeats firmly. TJ glances over Cyrus’ shoulder to see Buffy having a heated argument with Marty, and Libby and Jonah signing furiously between themselves.

“They won’t be by the time Buffy and Libby are done with them,” Andi muses, and Cyrus allows himself a dry half-smile.

“Can I see your arm?” he asks tentatively. TJ nods and shifts his hold of it. Andi looks away and feigns retching loudly, and Cyrus has a squeamish grimace on his face as he examines it. “Well, I don’t think there’s any doubt that it’s broken,” he says shakily. “We have to take you to the ER.”

“Can’t drive,” TJ says, suddenly exhausted.

“No, of course you can’t,” Cyrus says, remarkably calm – outwardly, at least. “I’ll drive us over. I know I’m not on your insurance, but I’ll be careful.” He helps TJ into the passenger side of his car, and Jonah and Libby climb in the back, while Andi, Buffy and Marty get into Buffy’s car.

“’M sorry,” TJ mumbles as Cyrus starts the engine, and Cyrus shakes his head.

“When you told me you were coming up here, I just couldn’t believe you would be so stupid,” Cyrus says. He sees movement in his rear-view mirror and glances back to see Jonah signing the conversation for Libby. “You knew it was a bad idea,” he continues as he pulls onto the main road. “I know you did.” TJ nods gloomily.

“We had helmets and stuff. I thought we were safe.”

“What happened?” Jonah asks.

“Hit a rock,” TJ says, initially twisting around to look at them, but it jars his arm, so he gives up. “Threw me off.” He closes his eyes. The sharp pain is numbing to a dull, throbbing ache. There’s silence for a moment, then Jonah speaks again.

“Libby asks if it was worth it.” TJ lets out an ironic laugh.

“Tell her it wasn’t for me. I can’t speak for you.” He hears Libby give an almost identical laugh a few moments later.

“She says you’re an idiot.” TJ laughs again.

“Yeah, I know.”

“For the record,” Cyrus says, “I think you’re an idiot too.” He smiles over at TJ.

“For a moment there, I really thought you were going to say something supportive.”

“I’m driving you to the hospital, aren’t I?”

“Eesh,” TJ says, grimacing. “My parents are not going to thank me for this.”

“Oh, I’m quite sure of it,” Cyrus says with a hum of agreement. “Still, consider it a learning curve.”

A few hours later, TJ emerges into the waiting room. Cyrus, Andi, Buffy, Marty, Jonah and Libby are all there, and they stand up when they see him. Cyrus rushes over to hug him and examine the new cast on his arm. Buffy and Marty are holding hands again, and Jonah and Libby are deep in conversation until Jonah breaks away to talk to TJ.

“I feel so bad,” he says. “It was my idea to go.”

“Meh, I agreed,” TJ shrugs. “We’re all good.” Jonah smiles, relieved, and Buffy smirks at TJ.

“Guess that’ll put a stop to your basketball season, huh, Kippen?”

“Shut it, Driscoll,” he shoots back. “I reckon I could still beat you in a one-on-one.” A rumbling “ooh” resounds around the group, and Libby laughs aloud a few moments as Jonah catches her up.

“Good one,” Buffy grins. “Clearly the anaesthetic has done wonders for your comebacks.”

“Are you okay?” Cyrus says before TJ can retort. “Does it still hurt?”

“Not really. I’m just tired.”

“Come back to my house tonight,” he says. “We can tell your mom and dad what happened tomorrow.”

“Sounds good,” TJ yawned. On the way out, Marty and Jonah sidle up to him.

“Hey,” Marty says conspiratorially. “You’re coming over tomorrow, right?”

“What do you have in mind?” TJ asks, eyeing him suspiciously. “I think we’ve pulled enough crazy, dangerous stunts for one summer, don’t you?”

“Oh, nothing much,” Jonah shrugs. “Just some games, and that sort of thing.”

TJ smiles. “I can get on board with that. Count me in.”

**Author's Note:**

> I hope you've enjoyed this! I know it's a little chaotic, but it's sort of supposed to be? Also it's nearly 2am as I'm posting this, so I'm bloody tired.
> 
> If you liked the story, please leave kudos / a comment, or else drop me an ask on Tumblr (@tea-for-one-please)!


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